‘Niceness is priceless’ at Jersey Community HS

Members of the Jersey Community High School girls’ soccer leadership team recently donated money to the school’s Key Club. Money raised at a memorial game in the spring is also going toward an anti-bullying campaign at the school.

JERSEYVILLE — An anti-bullying campaign emphasizing being nice to each other is building steam at Jersey Community High School.

“Niceness is Priceless” is so far focused on girl athletes, mostly with the soccer team, but will be expanding to include others in the near future.

“That’s a thing you learn whenever you’re little,” said senior Erica Bechtold, one of the participants in the program. “Learn to treat others the way you want to be treated.”

In addition to little reminders they are hoping to hold a week-long event the second week in November, although final details have not been worked out.

According to girls’ soccer varsity head coach Brad Kimble, the idea stemmed from a leadership conference at Washington University several members of the girls’ soccer team attended.

“The girls identified a problem of how we talk to each other,” Kimble said. “The solution was ‘change our language,’ lets be pro-active, more positive.”

“Every day we want to do something that puts in in their face that bullying is a real issue on campus,” Kimble added. “One of the simple ways to address it is make sure our language is good and our actions are positive and encouraging.”

“I’m familiar with other schools where the problem is probably bigger,” Kimble continued. “On our campus a lot of the bullying is really in social media. There are people who seem to be very negative towards each other and might backtalk each other or belittle each other.”

The idea became more important a few weeks later when one of the participants at the conference, Anna Hausman, died in an automobile accident.

“The girls wanted to make sure we really did the anti-bullying campaign that she would have been a part of,” Kimble said. “We wanted to honor the family and honor her memory.”

In May the Lady Panthers soccer team held a memorial game in honor of Hausman and Ethan Maupin, the son of Assistant Coach Rachel Maupin. Half of the money was donated to the school’s Key Club at the request of the Hausman family, while the rest was designated for the anti-bullying campaign.

“The Golden Rule – treat others how you want to be treated,” said Principal Cory Breden. “I can’t think of anything more important to teach our kids at home and at school”

He noted that simply being nice to each other can forestall a lot of more serious issues.

“With being nice and respectful the learning environment will improve and achievement will increase as well,” he added.

The program started with 12 girls, and is growing slowly.

Kimble said they are bringing in additional female athletes, and will open it up to the entire school in mid-October.

“I’ve met a lot of people and I talk to a lot of people,” Bechtold said. “Whenever I have those conversations with them I always try to consider what kind of a day they’re having. I never know what they could be going through. It’s better for me to be kind to them and maybe make their day better.”

What he hopes will be a week-long event similar to Spirit Week is being planned for November, but Kimble said they hope it goes on.

“Our girls wanted to continue and make sure that was really a change in our school culture, not just the one day or one week event in November that we’re leading up to,” he said.

Members of the Jersey Community High School girls’ soccer leadership team recently donated money to the school’s Key Club. Money raised at a memorial game in the spring is also going toward an anti-bullying campaign at the school.

http://thetelegraph.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_TEL090716JVniceMAIN.jpgMembers of the Jersey Community High School girls’ soccer leadership team recently donated money to the school’s Key Club. Money raised at a memorial game in the spring is also going toward an anti-bullying campaign at the school.